The system for protecting EU businesses from dumped and subsidised imports “continued to function well in 2020 thanks to the EU’s robust and innovative ways of using trade defence instruments (TDI), despite the practical challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic”, today’s report by the European Commission on foreign trade reads. “This is part of the European Commission’s new trade strategy, whereby the EU takes a more assertive stance in defending its interests against unfair trade practices”. The report shows that, at the end of 2020, the EU had 150 trade defence measures in force – 10 more than at the end of 2019 – which included 128 anti-dumping, 19 anti-subsidy and 3 safeguard measures. The highest number of trade defence measures taken by the EU last year concerns imports from China (99 measures), Russia (9 measures), India (7 measures), and the United States (6 measures). European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis said: “The EU needs effective tools to defend ourselves when we face unfair trade practices. This is a key pillar of our new strategy for an open, sustainable and assertive trade policy. We will not tolerate the misuse of trade defence instruments by our trading partners and we will continue to support our exporters caught up in such cases”.